Haiti: How The Relief Money Is Being Spent

A Haitian girl carries plastic buckets to collect water in the camp Acra, Delmas, January 9, 2011 in Puerto Principe. On January 12, Haiti commemorates the anniversary of the earthquake which killed more than 250.000 people. More than 800,000 people still live in camps a year after Haiti's devastating earthquake, but that is nearly half the number initially left homeless, the International Organization for Migration said January 9, 2011. The UN group noted that 1.5 million people lost their homes in the January 12, 2010 quake, and as recently as September there were 1.35 million people living in the makeshift refugee camps. But in recent months the refugee population began to shrink significantly, dropping to just over a million in November and now going below a million for the first time since the crisis began. (Photo credit: HECTOR RETAMAL/AFP/Getty Images)

MIAMI (CBS4) – One year after the earthquake ravaged Haiti, progress is still slow to see. The death toll continues to rise from cholera, lack of clean water and lack of appropriate housing. Nearly a million earthquake survivors are still homeless living in tent cities.

It’s a situation that is pushing many to question where all the aid went. South Floridian Sonicka Charles donated $50 to help Haiti and wonders if it did any good.

“I don’t really see a lot of progress going on there,” said Charles. “So it is a concern where is all that money going and when are they gonna get the help that they need?”

The American Red Cross estimates it collected $479 million in donations over the past year. It has only spent slightly more than half of that amount.

“The fact is that this is going to be a long term recovery project and we want to be here helping Haiti in ways that are going to be sustainable going forward,” said Julie Sell, spokeswoman for the American Red Cross. “So things like building housing don’t happen overnight.”

The Chronicle of Philanthropy analyzed 60 U.S based charities. Overall the groups raised $1.4 billion, yet they spent less than 40 percent of that.

Its an issue back here at home in South Florida as well. Months ago the Broward County School district designated 92 portable classrooms to give to Haiti. The portables could help with housing or portable medical clinics. But as of now the district says most of those portables remain in Broward County. The district can not afford to ship them to Haiti.

In North Miami there has been more criticism for slow moving aid. Mayor Andre Pierre presented Haitian officials with a symbolic check for $200,000 back in July. It wasn’t until city officials were questioned about it back in November that money was finally given to charity. That is five months after the fact. In November, the Mayor acknowledged the problem.

“We should have moved quickly on the use of this funds to build a school or to build a woman’s shelter and I take full responsibilities if we have not done so,” said Mayor Pierre.